Improvement in clothes-driers



A. H. BRDWN. Clothes D'riers.

N0 149 569 Patented Apr|14,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED H." BROWN, OF AURORA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLOTHES-DRIERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,569, dated April 14, 1874; application filed February 27, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED HENRY BROWN,

ofAurora, in the county of Erie and State bars in a frame-work that folds up or expands,

as desired, and in one, two, or more supple mentary wings that attach to the central drier.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, showing the central drier expanded, and two wings attached. Fig. 2 is a top-plan view, showing the drying-bars in line; Fig. 3, side elevation of the central drier when folded, and Fig. 4 a perspective view of part of the wings.

A A represent the six movable upright side pieces, composing, in part, the central drier,

and A A four corner ones, having attached four legs, a a, set at a double bracing angle, as shown, and held by longitudinal stay-pieces b b, attached to the legs, and also to corner posts A. This arrangement of the legs makes the drier selfsupporting in all directions, Whether closed or expanded. To these four upright corner posts, A A', are pivoted four pairs of swinging bars or connecting-links, B B, four to each side, or two to each corner post A', and each meeting and pivoted by their ends to the central movable perpendicular piece A, as shown at c. These swinging bars are also pivoted each in the middle, as shown at c c', to the intermediate perpendicular side pieces or movable uprights A.

These pieces are all of wood, and the pivots of metal. n

These bars B stand in position like an inverted V, and it is by their means that the drier described is made to fold up closely or expanded, as desired. d d are the bars, on which the clothes are hung. They all set in slots made in the pieces A A and posts A A',

`to attach and detach these wings.

.Y Iand all fastened by screws or their equiva= lents.

These bars are constructed of long flat strips of wood, the upper edge being double-beveled, so as to allow the ordinary clothes-pins to be used, thereby insuring that the clothes will not blow oii, and thereby doing away with the disadvantages of the round bars.

My iiat bars,not acting as pivots, as is com= 'mon, are all the more rm and less liable to become loosened.

By my arrangement these bars, when the drier is expanded, all stand on a level or nearly in a range, (see Fig. 2,) thereby relieving the drier from being constructed too high to reach the bars, or to be carried in and out of doors, and yet high enough to prevent the clothes from dragging or trailing on the ground.

ff represent ballast hooks or receptacles, to receive weights of any sort, by which the steadiness of the drier is assured in a wind,

and by which it is heldin place or prevented from blowing over and thereby soiling the clothes. These, in combination with the legs a a, overcome one serious objection to movable clothes-driers. O C are theJ two detachable wings or supplementary driers, constructed with the two horizontal side pieces g g, one each side, and the two legs a a,pivoted to the side pieces, as shown ath. (See Figs. l and 2.) These legs stand at a bracing angle, similar to the ones on the central drier, and are held 1 n place by a slotted stop or catch, t', which 1s pivoted onto each of the side pieces. .on the under side, and swing out to engage with the leg a', as shown. The clothes-bars d d are constructed precisely like the others in the central drier, and aid in giving strength to the wings. The bars, when in position, come in a line with the other bars d d. The ends of the longitudinal side pieces g g engage or hook in with pins j, or their equivalents, .set in the corner posts A of the central drier. Any suitable devices, however, may be used rI he legs aa have ballast-hooks f', like the others described. When not in use, the legs a a' are folded down in line with the side pieces g and may be put away in a sm all space. (See Fig. 4..)

The important feature in my invention 1s its'eonstruction by which wet clothes, especially in bad weather, can be put on the bars in the house, and the drier folded and removed to the air. The evil effects to women, caused by hanging out and taking in clothes in cold and stormy weather, will be entirely done away with by my device, and by making it in light sections or wings a large or small wash can be accommodated. The central part is adapted to be used separately, either in or out of the house, as a drier.

I claim- 1 1. The central folding and expanding drier, constructed with the upright pieces A A A', the pivoted swinging arms B B, the longitudinal stay-pieces b b, and the four legs a 11.,set-

at angles, all arranged and operating as and for the purpose specified.

2. The detachable wings or supplementary driers C C, having the two pivoted legs a! a',

the longitudinal side pieces g g, bars d d', and

Y A. H. BROWN. Witnesses: J. R. DRAKE,

T. H. PARSONS. 

